The present invention relates generally to the field of output devices. In particular, the invention relates to output devices and/or input and output devices that may be moved over a large display and provide output related to images on the large display. Further, the invention relates to apparatuses and methods for providing enhanced images and/or other types of input and/or output using moveable devices on a planar display screen.
Liquid crystal display monitors have conventionally been used to produce images for computers and handheld computers. As the need for displays to provide a large amount of information to users has grown, large form factor displays have become more desirable in certain situations. However, as large form factor flexible, semi-flexible, or rigid displays become more commonplace, providing the resources to refresh or support such a display may burden both the processor and the power source, especially for small portable devices in which such resources are limited.
Accordingly, there is a need for portable and/or other computing devices that use large form factor flexible, rigid or semi-flexible displays to be used in conjunction with a moveable auxiliary input and output device that may be moveable over the surface of the display. There is also a need for a large planar display device that is capable of displaying a two-dimensional image on a first plane or surface and allowing images and/or input/output based on the location of a smaller moveable input and/or output device that is moveable over the surface of the display.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a system and/or method that provides one or more of these or other advantageous features. Other features and advantages will be made apparent from the present specification. The teachings disclosed extend to those embodiments which fall within the scope of the appended claims, regardless of whether they accomplish one or more of the above-mentioned needs.
An exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to a display system. The display system includes a processor. The display system also includes a first display device having a first display surface and receiving display data from the processor. The display system also includes a second display device having a display area smaller then the first display device and moveable over the surface of the first display device. Further, the display system includes a sensor in communication with the processor and communicating location data to the processor. The location data is representative of the relative location of the first display to the second display. Further still, the display system includes a program running on the processor and providing display data to the first and second display devices, such that the display data provided to the second display device is based on the location data.
Another exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to a method of providing information to a display system user. The method includes providing a first image on a first display. The method also includes detecting the location of a second display relative to the first display. Further, the method includes providing data to the second display based on the detected location of the second display. Further still, the method includes generating a second image on the second display, with the second image generated from the data provided to the second display to provide at least one of enhanced display of a portion of the first image, solicitation for input, and additional output not provided in the first image.
A further exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to a moveable output device configured for movement across a primary display surface. The primary display is in communication with a processing device. The moveable output device includes a device housing supporting at least one of a visual display, an audio device and a tactile feedback device, the device housing supporting a processor. The moveable output device also includes a wireless communications device receiving output data from the processing device. The output data is based on location data from a location sensor sensing the relative location of the device housing and the primary display surface. The output device generates an output based on the output data. A user of the output device receives an enhanced output as compared with the primary display output.
Alternative exemplary embodiments relate to other features and combination of features as may be generally recited in the claims.